Photographic cameras with motorized film drives are known that will advance newly loaded film to the frame 1 position. High end cameras utilize microprocessor controls that will sense the presence of a cartridge and upon closing of the camera back will initiate the motor drive to advance the film to the first frame position whereupon the motor drive will be terminated. However, the use of microprocessor controls is an expensive proposition and is not suitable for low cost cameras. Low cost motorized cameras are also known that will advance film to the first frame position. These cameras, however, generally require that, after the film cartridge is inserted and the camera back is closed, the motor be activated by pressing the shutter release button. The problem here is that if a consumer loads film in this type of camera but for some reason the film is not transported to the take-up reel and is not advanced with each press of the shutter release, the consumer thinks that images are being captured but, in fact, they are not. An additional problem is that consumers do not always remember to advance the film to frame 1 to expose their first image but rather start as soon as film has been loaded. The result is that they may lose several images which they think have been captured. There is a need, therefore, for a low cost film initialization arrangement that will automatically advance the film to the first frame position after a fresh film cartridge is loaded without requiring further action by the consumer such as actuating the shutter release button.
Additionally, upon initialization, it is highly desirable to cause the flash charger circuit in a flash-equipped camera to begin charging so that the camera user does not attempt to take a flash exposure picture after loading fresh film in the camera only to have the flash fail due to the fact that the charge voltage on the flash capacitor is below a minimum threshold needed to initiate and sustain flash output from the flash tube. Circuits are known which will automatically start the flash charger when a camera is made ready to take a picture, for example, a start switch actuated by opening a lens cover or by raising a flash arm into position. However, these circuits do not take into account the possibility that the camera user may reload a fresh film cartridge without having previously closed the lens cover or lowered the flash arm. Thus it is possible that the flash charger may not be restarted in such an instance and thus the first picture will not have the benefit of flash fire.